Nice to chat with BW before tonight's game. Doing well, likes the new club/Twins opportunity. The New Britain Rock Cats are in the NH Fishercats' division; so, they will return to town a couple more times this summer. Hopefully, will not see him due to a call up.

Brandon ret'd to campus (1st time since WoCo grad) for the Alumni Game during Homecoming activities (October 2013.) Said campus really looked GREAT! I was also there for our class reunion- small world.

Made 3 very nice plays at 3B: backhanded snag/throw to 2nd base for force out to end inning, charged a slow roller and threw out 1 of the local team's fast infielders, handcuffed by a hard line drive; yet, recovered and threw batter out at 1st.

Saw 1 of his at bats; swung on a split finger or sinker and struck out. UGH!!! Batting about .185; 1 HR, 2 RBI; but, the season is VERY young.

And I experienced a first at a pro baseball game: RF bank of lights was off for 3 innings; then, the managers stopped the game to figure out next steps: continue or forfeit. Must be that someone did NOT pay the Duke Power bill at NE Delta Dental Stadium. He finished 2 for 3 with a single, double and 2 SO's.

After an often stellar seven-year minor league career, including league POY and with 172 homers and a .250 average, and making it to AAA two times, it appears that Brandon has moved on to a business career. He had serious power and real talent, but strikeout ratio was the biggest problem. I don't know if you have followed the baseball lawsuit in which minor league players are challenging pay scales on anti-trust grounds and as below the minimum wage, but it is a shame that these guys are making around 10-11K a year and a pittance food allowance for about 6-8 months hard work, plus off-season conditioning. Pro baseball is the classic feast or famine world. I would have liked to see Brandon perhaps make a career there, maybe eventually in coaching, even if he did not make the majors, since he has a lot to offer and appeared to truly love the game, but he presumably simply could not support himself as things are. At the other end of the spectrum, the average major league player now makes over 4 mill/year, with most making far more than that. I am sure we all have admired Brandon's persistence and talent during his baseball career and wish him the best.

If you are a baseball, or sports, fan, take 70 minutes to watch The Battered Bastards of Baseball, a recent Netflix production (stream). It's about the love of the game and small business vitality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA76b5Hhvxg